EP0747793B1 - Méthode de planification d'un appareil modulaire d'impression - Google Patents

Méthode de planification d'un appareil modulaire d'impression Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0747793B1
EP0747793B1 EP96304270A EP96304270A EP0747793B1 EP 0747793 B1 EP0747793 B1 EP 0747793B1 EP 96304270 A EP96304270 A EP 96304270A EP 96304270 A EP96304270 A EP 96304270A EP 0747793 B1 EP0747793 B1 EP 0747793B1
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Prior art keywords
machine
capabilities
receiving
module
generic
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EP96304270A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0747793A3 (fr
EP0747793A2 (fr
Inventor
Markus P.J. Fromherz
Sue Layer
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Xerox Corp
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Xerox Corp
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B19/00—Programme-control systems
    • G05B19/02—Programme-control systems electric
    • G05B19/04—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers
    • G05B19/042—Programme control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers using digital processors
    • G05B19/0426—Programming the control sequence
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/20—Pc systems
    • G05B2219/25—Pc structure of the system
    • G05B2219/25417—Identify capabilities necessary to produce article
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/20—Pc systems
    • G05B2219/25—Pc structure of the system
    • G05B2219/25418—Enter description of capabilities of each module
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
    • G05B2219/20—Pc systems
    • G05B2219/25—Pc structure of the system
    • G05B2219/25421—Using resource data relative to each component, module of control system

Definitions

  • the present invention pertains generally to the art of printing machines and more particularly to photo-duplication machines such as copiers.
  • the invention is particularly applicable to a system for generically scheduling the operations necessary to produce desired documents on a print engine.
  • the system allows for automated scheduling of printing jobs pursuant to the capabilities associated with modular components forming a printing machine, and will be described with particular reference thereto.
  • the invention has broader applications, such as in providing for an automated assessment of machine capabilities in view of modular components, as well as job-specific utilization in an efficient manner in view of the same.
  • Present day machinery such as photocopiers
  • Such fabrication allows for mass production of each of the subassemblies of a machine while simultaneously allowing for customization to consumer's needs.
  • a consumer is provided with a means by which he or she may alter or upgrade capabilities of an existing base unit.
  • US-A-4,924,320 describes a modular-type image forming system including a laser printer main unit and a plurality of optional units, such as both-side processing unit, a large-quantity paper feeding unit and a mail box unit, each of which is operatively coupled to said main unit through a commonly usable optical fiber cable through a commonly usable connector.
  • Each unit has its own CPU and serial communications between the CPUs of different units may be carried out through the optical cables.
  • the CPU of the main unit may determine the identity of each of the optional units connected thereto through such communications.
  • the main unit also includes an interface circuit through which the main unit is operatively coupled to each of the optional units.
  • the interface circuit includes a port selector which establishes a connection pattern between the main and optional units in accordance with the identity information of each of the optional units connected.
  • US-A-5,124,809 describes an image forming system including a processor, a print engine and optional units.
  • a serial signal line couples the print engine and the optional units.
  • the processor has a command sending function of sending the print engine a command which asks the print engine whether or not the print engine can communicate with each of the optional units.
  • the print engine has a function of managing a variety of information including data relating to status of the optional units, and a function of determining, in response to the command, as to whether each of the optional units is in a communication active state where it can communicate with the print engine on the basis of the managed information and a function of sending the processor a response which indicates information on whether each of the optional units is in the communication active state.
  • EP 735 430 A2 describes a method of scheduling a job in an imaging system including detecting criteria of the job, determining applicable constraints based upon one or more of the criteria, inputs entered into the imaging system and/or operating the imaging system to output the job such that the constraints are satisfied, thereby maximizing output.
  • Each job includes a plurality of images to be processed by the imaging system, which includes at least one imaging device.
  • One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system and method for automatic scheduling of printing machine operations for overcoming the above-referred problems, and others, that provide enhanced usability and configurability both prior to and after the machine leaves the factory.
  • a system for integrating such generic component descriptions so as to allow for automatically recognizing a presence of one or more subassemblies and communicating their various functional descriptions to a centralized processor unit for generation of a printing machine schedule of operations.
  • the system provides for an environment adapted for efficient, automated scheduling of a plurality of print jobs of various or varying characteristics.
  • An advantage of the present invention is the generation of a printing machine operation schedule that is conducive to easy and automatic configuration to various or varying subassemblies.
  • Another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a printing machine that is adapted such that it can be readily configured to maximum potential by an end-user.
  • Yet another advantage of the present invention is the provision of a printing machine that maximizes printing throughput by being adapted for efficiently scheduling and utilizing modular subassemblies in accordance with user-specified print jobs.
  • FIGURE 1 illustrates an embodiment of the subject invention having a modular print engine A, which includes a plurality of modules or subassemblies B and a data-processor unit for configuration and scheduling C.
  • print engine includes any reprographic machine, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, and the like.
  • each of the modules B are ascertained and correlated in the data processor unit C.
  • Such correlated and analyzed data is further analyzed in view of user input defining a desired printer operation, or series of operations. This is, in turn, used to optimize, schedule, and control operation of the printing machine to most efficiently accomplish the series of printing tasks.
  • the subject system is described by way of example with a copier machine. It will be appreciated that generic description, resource assessment and scheduling may be practicable on any modular, material handling system.
  • the modules B are illustrated as including a plurality of paper storage bins.
  • these include bins 10, 12, and 14.
  • the plurality of bins may be representative of different paper sizes or secondary or reserved storage capability.
  • a sheet feeder mechanism is illustrated schematically at 16.
  • a sheet feeder such as that illustrated at 16 will function to obtain sheet stock from one or more of the bins.
  • the feeder 16 will feed sheet stock to a conveyor 18.
  • the conveyor will, in turn, feed sheet stock to a print mechanism 20, the particular construction of which will be well within the understanding of one of ordinary skill in the art.
  • an inverter mechanism 30 that may selectively invert or flip sheet stock that progresses along the conveyor 18.
  • a feedback-unit 32 is provided for returning sheet stock to the printer mechanism 20 for duplex printing thereof.
  • the conveyor 18 provides a path to a stapling mechanism 34 for selective stapling of printed documents.
  • the final illustrated component in the group of modules B illustrates a plurality of output bins represented by bins 38 and 40.
  • I/O data input/output
  • CPU central processor unit
  • storage scheduling unit 42 the details of which will be described further below.
  • a data path is provided between the data I/O unit 40 and each of the modules B.
  • each module B includes therein a description associated with various functions and capabilities thereof. The particulars of such a generic description will be detailed below.
  • the data path between each of the illustrated modules and the data I/O unit allows for acquisition to the data processor unit C of all such description.
  • any module B will communicate its associated description to the data I/O unit upon connection to the modular print engine A. This ability allows for "plug-and-play" capability of the subject system.
  • Data interconnections between the data I/O unit 40 of the data processor C and the various modules B also allow for controller activation thereof.
  • the data processor unit C has ascertained from the available modules the complete set of capabilities of the modular print engine A.
  • This information, coupled with user input 44 to the data I/O unit 40 allows for efficient scheduling of available modular resources to accomplish a series of printing jobs by use of the available components.
  • FIGURE 2 the basic format for generic print engine description and scheduling will be described.
  • past attempts for automated print engine scheduling software were based on an analysis of a complete engine configuration. The results of this analysis are required for writing of dedicated software specific to a particular configuration.
  • the subject system provides for separation of scheduling software into two parts. In a first part, a scheduler architecture is provided with generic algorithms. In a second part, machine-specific information is also provided in a format detailed below.
  • a scheduler which serves to identify, schedule, and initiate machine operations for producing a document.
  • such operations may include feeding of sheets, moving of sheets, preparation of images, transferring of images to sheets, etc.
  • a document to be printed typically arrives incrementally (e.g., sheet-bysheet).
  • Scheduling and schedule execution (printing) usually happen concurrently.
  • machinespecific information used by a scheduler is advantageously structured such that the scheduler is able to identify which operations will produce the required sheet.
  • the system must be aware of constraints which must be observed when scheduling operations.
  • the system is provided with a means by which it may send appropriate commands to the modules to allow them to accomplish their available functions.
  • FIGURE 2 the particular system for preparing the machine-specific information is depicted.
  • the system commences by using declarative descriptions (models) of printing engine modules in block 100.
  • a model advantageously contains a description of a module's structure and potential behavior of its components.
  • possible components include feed trays, transport belts, transfer components, inverters, gates, etc.
  • Potential behaviors may be, by way of example, either bypassing an inverter or using it to invert a sheet.
  • the step of modeling is typically performed by an engineer using a modeling language, of which the details of a preferred embodiment will be provided below.
  • a module has already been modeled by its components.
  • an automatic derivation of potential behaviors of an entire module is then fabricated from information obtained from the component models. This derivation may be performed, by way of example, by simulation or partial evaluation, and by envisionment.
  • Simulation is commonly understood as the execution of models to mirror the execution of the real system.
  • Partial evaluation is commonly understood as the partial execution of programs, leaving certain parts of the programs unexecuted and to be evaluated at a later time.
  • Envisionment is commonly understood as the exploration of all potential behaviors of a system by, for example, repeatedly and in various ways exercising simulation or partial evaluation of its models.
  • the resulting module behavior is comprised of an output produced by a particular behavior, inputs from which the output is produced, individual operations required to produce it (its "itinerary"), as well as various constraints on resources and timings to be observed when performing the operations.
  • its "itinerary" individual operations required to produce it
  • some or all of this information may advantageously be precompiled. By way of example, this may be compiled to finite-state machines.
  • print engine modules B (FIGURE 1) are plugged together to form a new configuration, different module behaviors are collected and automatically composed via the data processor unit C to generate potential behaviors of a complete print engine A.
  • compositions are also suitably enabled to occur dynamically; i.e., each time a behavior is to be selected by the scheduler, it composes module behaviors "on the fly.”
  • a composition may be done only once (after modules are first plugged together), or each time they are needed.
  • the latter option has an advantage of accounting for dynamic module changes.
  • the system may complete the FIGURE 2 sequence each time a machine behavior is selected. It may be prohibitive to do so due to the time-consuming computations. However, this may be a more efficient approach in specific circumstances.
  • the afore-noted overall behavior is advantageously modeled in a format similar to that associated with the individual module behavior noted above.
  • the system provides an output description (for behavior identification), resource and timing constraints (for sequencing), and data comprising an itinerary (for subsequent control of machine operations).
  • a portion of machine behavior information is advantageously compiled for efficient use in a matching scheduler algorithm at which point the system progresses to block 106.
  • a compilation of potential interactions of timing and resource constraints may be made to a finite-state machine.
  • a full set of compiled behaviors has been obtained.
  • an output description of machine behaviors is used by a generic scheduler to identify behaviors that will produce an output document given the original constraints (either in original or compiled form). These behaviors are used to find a correct timing for each particular behavior's operation and itineraries which are used to initiate necessary operations of the modules B.
  • the system described above modular (“plug-and-play") scheduling of print engine modules is facilitated.
  • the system also allows for reuse of scheduling software for a wide range of configurations.
  • the system also provides for automating all steps except for obtaining the initial description of the discrete modules forming the machine and for development of the generic scheduling algorithms.
  • FIGURE 3 a particular system for modeling component behavior will be described.
  • the particular system of the preferred embodiment is for a description of print engine component behavior for print engine analysis, simulation, and scheduling.
  • the basic, generic description method is equally applicable to various other modular systems.
  • print engine components such that print engines fabricated therefrom may be described by composing component descriptions. Further, various applications may be performed automatically on resulting print engine description. This enables one to automatically use such information for analysis, simulation, scheduling, and related print engine applications.
  • descriptions associated with an inverter 150 analogous to the inverter 30 of FIGURE 1, are provided with model 150'. Components of a modeled structure and behavior are determined by both physics of the component itself, as well as an application context in which a model is used.
  • a structure model of a component is defined as consisting of its physical interface, software interface and internal resources.
  • a physical interface is an input port 152 in which work units (sheets) enter and a port 154 from which said work units exit.
  • Associated software interface functions primarily for control commands and parameters.
  • Internal resources are defined as objects needed to perform a particular behavior whereby multiple uses of each object by repeated execution of the behavior is restricted.
  • a resource is defined as the position of an associated gate 156.
  • Another example of a resource is a space 158 between opposing output rollers 160 of the inverter 150, particularly illustrated at 150'.
  • the space 158 is defined as a resource.
  • a behavior model of a component is utilized to describe capabilities of the particular component in terms of how the component may work on work units moving through the component. Further, the behavior dictates what constraints must be observed when performing the associated behavior.
  • a component capability is defined as comprising: a description of work units and a transformation of work units; timed events like the input and output of a work unit; resource allocations for this transformation; and constraints on the timing of such events and resource allocations.
  • Work units are advantageously described in terms of their attributes.
  • Restrictions and transformations of work units are advantageously described in terms of constraints on their attributes.
  • FIGURE 3 some additional model descriptions are provided. These include a description associated with a particular work unit, such as a sheet illustrated at 164.
  • a control situation such as whether to bypass the inverter 150 or utilize it for inversion is illustrated at 166.
  • a timing parameter such as a specification of path length and roller speed is provided at 168.
  • associated timing constraints are suitably obtained using a formula based on path length and roller speed; e.g., time out may be defined as time in plus path length, divided by roller speed.
  • Certain values are also suitably parameters of the model. For example, the path length of a given inverter may be fixed while roller speed may vary and may therefore be set by the environment with respect to a model that is used.
  • a roller-speed parameter is illustrated at 170.
  • This model declares two parameters (length and speed), one entry port (in), one exit port (out), three resources (inR, outR and gateR, of types Signal respectively State), and six variables (of types Sheet and Interval). Then the model defines two capabilities (bypass and invert). For capability bypass, it is defined that a sheet s enters at time t_in and exits at time t_out, that allocations in all three resources are made at the respective intervals t_in, t_out and t_gate, and that various timing constraints reflecting the traveling time from entry to exit hold between the intervals. Capability invert is defined similarly, except that the sheet changes its orientation by 180? (rotated around the y axis), and that the traveling time is longer (proportional to the sheet's size). Thus, it will be appreciated that a complete and functional description of any component may be similarly provided.
  • the disclosed modeling system enables automatic behavioral composition of component capabilities for generic and incremental analysis, simulation, and scheduling of print engines. This description format allows automatic structural composition of component models to models describing connected components (for example, print engine modules).
  • scheduling a print engine means, to a large part, a scheduling of associated resources. To do this effectively, one must model the resources used by a print engine operation such that information may be used for incremental scheduling of valid sequences of those operations. Besides being applicable to a wide range of print engine operations, resources may also suitably serve as generic interfaces between a scheduler and the rest of the print engine control software for purposes of communicating changes in the machine.
  • a resource may be space on a belt, a gate that must be in a certain position, or some element that is being put to multiple or overlapping uses.
  • One may view the capacity of a bin of paper as being one instance of such multiple or overlapping uses.
  • Allocations of resources are suitably modeled explicitly as a part of a description of a component's behavior.
  • resource allocation is defined as a specification of a resource requirement, together with a time interval during which a particular resource is required.
  • an imaging capability requires space on a photoreceptor belt for a certain amount of time.
  • an invert capability requires an inverter gate to be in a correct position while a sheet is being inverted.
  • a resource requirement is chosen to depend on a particular type of resource.
  • Possible resource types include such items as Boolean resources (resources which are either used or not used), enumerated or state resources (which are placed in one of the available states), capacity resources (were concurrent uses add up), and the like.
  • Such resource types are advantageously described generically by resource constraints. Resource constraints, themselves, determine consistency for multiple allocations for the same resource.
  • Boolean resource allocations such as space on a belt, must not overlap in time.
  • state resource allocations may overlap if they require the same state.
  • Capacity resource allocations may overlap if the sum of the requirements never exceeds the given capacity.
  • Time intervals of resource allocations may be suitably connected by interval constraints.
  • a resource constraint system and an interval constraint system are orthogonal to one another.
  • a description of resource allocations and timing constraints fit well into a compositional modeling paradigm for scheduling.
  • a print engine will ultimately be moved to a run time state.
  • the print engine module 202 is, in turn, comprised of several components, each using resources selectively disposed along a paper/image path 204.
  • resources are exemplified by those components respectively, their resources 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220.
  • Each of these resources is suitably described in the same fashion, of which a representative one is detailed at 216'.
  • a system includes a control code portion 220, a component/models portion 222, and various communication paths.
  • the control path 224 allows for passing of control commands from the control code portion 220 to the component/models portion 222.
  • a sensor path 226 allows for communication of sensor data in the opposite direction.
  • a path 228 represents the scheduled use of resources by the component; more precisely, it stands for the communication of knowledge from the model 222 describing the component to the scheduler, where this knowledge is used to schedule correct uses of the resource.
  • a path 230 allows for control and sensor information to be similarly communicated to the scheduler 200.
  • the scheduler 200 instantiates the interval such that the corresponding allocations for the same resources satisfy required resource constraints. This is also suitably done incrementally by keeping track of past resource allocations.
  • the scheduler 200 takes into account only its own allocations. To do this, it uses its model of the system to predict a use of resources for operations it has scheduled.
  • That system is also readily adaptable to a reallife, reactive environment wherein resources sometimes become unavailable or become restricted to a subset of the normal capacity.
  • Such variations in real hardware are typically monitored by a module's control software disposed, in the example, in the control code portion 220.
  • the control software was required to have a special interface to the scheduler in order to communicate deviations between modeled and real hardware or to allow for a scheduler to have access to data of the controlled software.
  • Resource management within the scheduler 200 is suitably made accessible to an environment. More specifically, it is made available to the component control code as represented by 220. As with the scheduler 200, the control code 220 is then suitably enabled to make calculations in such resources to reflect changes in the hardware. In turn, this enables the scheduler 200 to automatically take system changes into account.
  • control code itself dynamically adapts that behavior to reflect a current situation. This is suitably extended even further if an environment is allowed to change the resource constraints. In general, this means that control software is seen as controlling resources (starting from a default definition) while a scheduler is using those resources.
  • a scheduler will advantageously make such future allocations automatically and take them into account.
  • allocations are suitably tagged with different priorities depending on whether they come from the scheduler 200 (respectively models 222) or from the control code 220. With this, any allocations by the scheduler that are inconsistent with allocations by an environment are suitably identified automatically and may be redone.
  • a module capability is essentially a potential module output.
  • a module output produced by a module capability of a print engine module may be a sheet of size A4 having two images placed on it and being delivered face-down.
  • module capability may be considered a trace of a production of a particular output. This suitably contains descriptions of both input and output work units at module ports.
  • representative print engine 250 includes modules 252, 254, and 256 which are connected at ports 270 and 272, respectively. These modules are provided with illustrated capabilities 260, 262, and 264, respectively. The illustration further provides data communication paths 274 for modules 252, 254, and 256 to report their capabilities to the print engine control software.
  • module 252 contains input trays 280.
  • the module 254 contains a photoreceptor 282 and a duplex feedback mechanism 284.
  • the module 256 provides output trays 286.
  • a module capability suitably contains descriptions of both input and output work units associated with the module entry and exit ports, respectively resource allocations required for a desired production and an itinerary through which an output is produced.
  • Work units are suitably described by constraints on their attributes. Resource allocations are stated together with constraints on their time intervals.
  • a module's resource allocations may suitably exist in compiled form.
  • resource allocations may exist as possible variations of allocations in a finite-state machine.
  • Module capabilities are composed to machine capabilities by recursively composing module capabilities of two machine modules connected at a port. For example, if first and second modules are connected at port p, then for every module capability ⁇ I 1 , O 1 , R 1 , C 1 > of a first module that produces an output at p (defined by O 1 ), and for every module capability ⁇ I 2 , O 2 , R 2 , C 2 > of a second module that expects an input at p (defined in I 2 ), the capabilities are suitably composed if a respective input and output in O 1 and I 2 can be unified. Attribute constraints are propagated in the process.
  • composite capability ⁇ I, O, R, C> is generated by setting I to I 1 + I 2 without port p's input in I 2 , O to O 2 , R to R 1 joined to R 2 , and C to C 1 concatenated with C 2 .
  • This composition of module capabilities will be performed until a resulting capability contains only inputs and outputs that are not inputs and outputs at ports between modules. That is, there are no further module capabilities that are connected to the inputs or outputs.
  • a resulting capability is a print engine capability.
  • modules typically have several distinct capabilities, each composition of module capabilities will be performed for all alternatives, resulting in a multitude of print engine capabilities. For example, if each module in FIGURE 5 has two capabilities, the complete print engine has potentially eight capabilities, less if the inputs of some module capabilities cannot be unified with the outputs of other module capabilities.
  • composition of module capabilities may be performed efficiently. This is especially important insofar as print engine start-up time is ideally very low.
  • a particular advantage of this system is that it produces a description of a module print engine that enables the scheduler at run time to generically schedule operations in the print engine's modules. Through propagation of work unit attribute constraints and composition of resource allocations with timing constraints, the scheduler is guaranteed to allow only correct interactions between modules.
  • the system will suitably and automatically propagate this to all previous modules and as required. As noted earlier, this is in contrast to former approaches wherein potential interactions between print engine modules must be known at the time the scheduling software is developed.
  • the composition of module capabilities is not performed when the print engine is started up, but instead at each time a complete print engine capability has to be identified by the scheduler.
  • the method described above is suitably performed backwards through the modules, starting with an attribute description of a desired output at a print engine exit port, and matching that output description against output descriptions of module capabilities producing outputs at that port.
  • the method will then again unify inputs of selected module capabilities with outputs of connected, previous module capabilities. If an input cannot be unified with an output of a connected, previous module capability (i.e. the desired input cannot be produced by the previous module), the method back tracks and tries alternative module capabilities.
  • Such composition is done until all inputs of the resulting capability are inputs of the print engine.
  • the resulting capability is a print engine capability able to produce the desired output.
  • the remaining data, resource, timing, and itinerary information are composed as described above and can used for the correct scheduling and execution of the resulting capability.
  • a set of print engine capabilities is represented at 300.
  • Actual scheduling of printing machine operation includes a step 302 of identifying a set of operations necessary to accomplish the desired result.
  • a timed sequence of these operations is determined at block 304.
  • actual initiation of the execution of these print machine operations is accomplished and a set of component control commands is provided as an output from the scheduling system at 308.
  • the print engine capabilities 300 will be noted to include information as to output, constraints, and itinerary information.
  • the block 302 identification results in the generation of a subset of such capabilities, which subset is illustrated generally at 320.
  • the selected capabilities 320 are, in turn, utilized in connection with the sequence operation 304 and the initiation operation 306.
  • Tracing flow of an actual document through the system of FIGURE 6 commences wherein a document is provided to the identification block 302 as a sequence of sheets. From this point, for each sheet the required capabilities necessary to accomplish formation of the desired sheet is determined. The output of the identification block 302 provides such raw capabilities in an untimed form. In the sequence block 304, the timing information necessary to accomplish formation of the sheet is provided. By way of example, this can be achieved by solving the (timing and resource allocation) constraints, as will be obvious to one skilled in the art. Thus, the output from block 304 to 306 has provided with it a reference to timed capabilities. As noted above, this returns the control commands at 308. Each control command typically consists of at least three elements: identification of a print engine component or module, identification of an operation that this component or module has to execute, and a time at which the operation has to be executed.
  • scheduling typically has to work incrementally; that is it schedules one element of a document after another.
  • each sheet of a document is scheduled in sequence.
  • other document elements such as its pages instead of sheets, could be scheduled incrementally.
  • the capabilities 300 are noted to be split into capabilities per document elements to accomplish this task.
  • scheduling may also work hierarchically, especially if a document consists of several sets, which in turn consist of several sheets.
  • the identification component may select a print engine capability that will produce the set, but the identification component will then go on to identify, sequence and initiate the operations for the set's sheets before it sequences and initiates the operations for the set.
  • scheduling also typically has to work concurrently to printing.
  • the system is noted to be split into several components which may run in parallel to accomplish this task.
  • a suitable example of print engine capability may be a potential print engine output.
  • a print engine capability contains descriptions of an output work unit as defined at a machine's exit ports, resource allocations required for producing the output and an itinerary (set of control commands) through which the output is produced.
  • Work units such as sheets in a print engine, are suitably described by constraints on their attributes as noted in detail above. These attribute constraints can be used by the identification component 302 by matching a corresponding attribute description of the document against attribute constraints of the print engine capabilities.
  • resource allocations are advantageously stated together with constraints on their time intervals. It will be appreciated that resource allocations and interval constraints may also be provided in compiled or partially compiled form, such as in a finite-state machine.
  • print engine capabilities may not be given as complete capabilities of the entire print engine. Instead, the capabilities of each print engine module may be provided separately, and the identification component 302 will then compose these module capabilities to identify the necessary complete operations of the print engine, proceeding backwards from a print engine exit as noted in detail above.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
  • Facsimiles In General (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Record Information Processing For Printing (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Système pour planifier de façon générique le fonctionnement d'une machine (A) possédant un programmateur générique (C : 42) et des informations spécifiques à la machine, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) fonctionne indépendamment des informations spécifiques à la machine, le système comprenant :
    un moyen de réception (C : 40) destiné à recevoir les données de description générique représentatives des capacités d'une pluralité de modules de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256), dans lequel chaque module de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) fournissant les données de description générique est modélisé conformément à ses informations spécifiques à la machine, indépendamment des informations spécifiques à la machine de tout autre module de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) ;
    un moyen d'identification destiné à identifier (302) un ensemble de capacités nécessaires pour produire un article spécifié par l'utilisation sélective des modules de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) ;
    un moyen de mise en séquence destiné à mettre en séquences (304) les opérations de machine d'un ensemble de capacités identifié par le moyen d'identification, incluant la résolution des contraintes existant dans les modules de machine sélectionnés (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) de façon à produire l'article spécifié ; et
    un moyen d'amorçage (306) destiné à amorcer une séquence d'opérations de machine déterminée par le moyen de mise en séquence de façon à produire l'article spécifié.
  2. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le moyen de réception (C : 40) comprend un moyen destiné à recevoir les données de description générique formées à partir des données représentatives :
    des unités de travail de sortie d'au moins un module de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) au niveau d'un accès de sortie de celui-ci ;
    des données de cadencement associées à l'utilisation du module pour produire l'article spécifié ; et
    d'un itinéraire selon lequel l'article spécifié est produit.
  3. Système selon la revendication 2, dans lequel le moyen de réception (C : 40) comprend un moyen destiné à recevoir les données représentatives des unités de travail de sortie définies par les contraintes sur les attributs de telles unités de travail, de façon que le moyen d'identification est autorisé à identifier les capacités qui produisent l'article spécifié.
  4. Système selon la revendication .2 ou 3, dans lequel le moyen de réception (C : 40) comprend un moyen destiné à recevoir les données représentatives des données de cadencement définies par les attributions de ressources ou contraintes d'intervalles hybrides comprenant les données d'états finis, de façon que le moyen de mise en séquence est autorisé à mettre en séquence les capacités identifiées.
  5. Système selon l'une des revendications 2 à 4, dans lequel le moyen de réception (C : 40) comprend un moyen destiné à recevoir les données représentatives de l'itinéraire défini par une séquence de commandes de contrôle cadencées, de façon que le moyen d'amorçage est autorisé à amorcer les opérations de la machine associées aux capacités séquencées.
  6. Système selon l'une des revendications 1 à 7, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) inclut des capacités prédictives.
  7. Système selon l'une des revendications 1 à 6, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) comprend le moyen de réception (C : 40), le moyen d'identification, le moyen de mise en séquence et le moyen d'amorçage.
  8. Procédé pour planifier de façon générique le fonctionnement d'une machine d'impression (A) possédant un programmateur générique (C : 42) et des informations spécifiques à la machine, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) fonctionne indépendamment des informations spécifiques à la machine, comprenant les étapes consistant à :
    recevoir les données de description générique (252, 254, 256) représentatives des capacités combinées d'une pluralité de modules de machine (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256), dans laquelle chaque module de machine d'impression (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) fournissant les données de description générique est modélisé conformément à ses informations spécifiques à la machine indépendamment des informations spécifiques à la machine de tout autre module de machine d'impression (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) ;
    identifier (302) un sous-ensemble des capacités combinées nécessaires pour produire un document désiré par l'utilisation sélective des modules de machine d'impression (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) ;
    mettre en séquence (304) les opérations de machine d'impression d'un ensemble de capacités identifiées par l'étape d'identification (302), comprenant la résolution des contraintes existant dans les modules de machine d'impression combinés sélectionnés (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) de façon à produire le document désiré ; et
    amorcer (306) une séquence d'opérations de machine déterminée par l'étape de mise en séquence (304) de façon à produire le document désiré.
  9. Procédé selon la revendication 8, dans lequel l'étape de réception comprend la réception des données de description générique formées à partir des données représentatives :
    des unités de travail de sortie d'au moins un module de machine d'impression (B ; 202 ; 252, 254, 256) au niveau d'un accès de sortie de celui-ci ;
    des attributions de ressources ou contraintes d'intervalles nécessaires pour produire le document désiré ; et
    d'un itinéraire selon lequel le document désiré est produit.
  10. Procédé selon la revendication 9, dans lequel l'étape de réception comprend la réception des données représentatives des unités de travail de sortie définies par les contraintes sur les attributs de telles unités de travail.
  11. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 8 à 10, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) inclut des capacités prédictives.
  12. Procédé selon l'une des revendications 8 à 11, dans lequel le programmateur générique (C : 42) comprend un moyen destiné à effectuer les étapes de réception, d'identification (302), de mise en séquence (304) et d'amorçage (306).
EP96304270A 1995-06-07 1996-06-07 Méthode de planification d'un appareil modulaire d'impression Expired - Lifetime EP0747793B1 (fr)

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US08/486,646 US5781710A (en) 1995-06-07 1995-06-07 Generic method for scheduling print engines using print engine capabilities
US486646 1995-06-07

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EP0747793A3 EP0747793A3 (fr) 1998-10-21
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EP0747793A3 (fr) 1998-10-21
EP0747793A2 (fr) 1996-12-11
US5781710A (en) 1998-07-14
JPH0934511A (ja) 1997-02-07
DE69615924T2 (de) 2002-04-04
DE69615924D1 (de) 2001-11-22

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